With highly selective colleges quickly phasing back in standardized testing requirements in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, it’s more crucial than ever that high schoolers take and perform well on the SAT or ACT. By taking practice exams for both tests, academically ambitious students ensure that they’ve optimized their odds of attaining the most competitive standardized test score on the exam that best fits their learning style.
Let’s take a look at The College Board and ACT, Inc.’s official score concordance tables to get a better sense of how to compare and contrast scores across both tests.
| ACT Composite Score | SAT Composite Score (Single) | SAT Composite Score (Range) |
| 36 | 1590 | 1570–1600 |
| 35 | 1540 | 1530–1560 |
| 34 | 1500 | 1490–1520 |
| 33 | 1460 | 1450–1480 |
| 32 | 1430 | 1420–1440 |
| 31 | 1400 | 1390–1410 |
| 30 | 1370 | 1360–1380 |
| 29 | 1340 | 1330–1350 |
| 28 | 1310 | 1300–1320 |
| 27 | 1280 | 1260–1290 |
| 26 | 1240 | 1230–1250 |
| 25 | 1210 | 1200–1220 |
| 24 | 1180 | 1160–1190 |
| 23 | 1140 | 1130–1150 |
| 22 | 1110 | 1100–1120 |
| 21 | 1080 | 1060–1090 |
| 20 | 1040 | 1030–1050 |
| 19 | 1010 | 990–1020 |
| 18 | 970 | 960–980 |
| 17 | 930 | 920–950 |
| 16 | 890 | 880–910 |
| 15 | 850 | 830–870 |
| 14 | 800 | 780–720 |
| 13 | 760 | 730–770 |
| 12 | 710 | 690–720 |
| 11 | 670 | 650–680 |
| 10 | 630 | 620–640 |
| 9 | 590 | 590–610 |
The chart above is the official concordance table published by ACT, Inc. in conjunction with The College Board. Although this table was created in 2018, in response to the implementation of the 1600-point SAT scoring system, it’s still used today. The rollout of the new digital SAT has had no impact on score conversion, as this new version of the test uses the same 1600-point scoring system. However, this new format for a much more tech-savvy generation has indeed brought along several key changes to the testing experience, but fortunately none of these changes impact our ability to use SAT scores as a proxy for ACT scores, or vice versa.
Score conversion is useful for those who would like to gauge their performance on one test relative to another. For example, if you scored a 1500 on the SAT, and a 31 on the ACT, it will be helpful to know that your SAT score is the most competitive of the two (the equivalent to a 34 on the ACT), and therefore the score you should send to colleges. It’s also useful for setting a benchmark for performance. For example, that 1500 on the SAT indicates that you should score at least a 34 on the ACT. If you don’t perform up to this standard, there’s no use in sending the lacking score to our nation’s top colleges.
Score conversion is possible because the SAT and ACT test the same competencies, with one major exception. The ACT has a science section, while the SAT does not. There’s no analogue to the science section score in the SAT composite score. This means that the ACT science section is the least important section from an admissions standpoint.
Under no circumstances should students simply pick a test at random and sit for it with no prior practice. It’s impossible to know how well you will do without practicing under the correct testing conditions (timing, appropriate materials, no outside help, etc.). These tests are by and large the most important tests that you will ever take, so why not give them your all? If you perform better on the ACT practice test, sign up for the ACT, and vice versa. It’s that simple.
Finally, we’d like to dispel the idea that the SAT is more valued by college admissions officers than the ACT. This is not true! A 36 on the ACT is just as competitive a score as a 1600 on the SAT. And if a highly competitive test score to optimize you or your child’s chance of admission to a highly selective college sounds appealing to you, fill out Ivy Coach’s complimentary consultation form, and we’ll be in touch.